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Insights and Expertise

StreetSmarts SM

Spring signals: How smart marketing

strengthens merchant relationships

By Jaki Kackert As the payments landscape continues to evolve, three
Kackert Marketing marketing priorities are emerging as particularly
important for the industry's feet on the street looking to
pring has always represented renewal and for- support merchant success in 2026.
ward momentum. For merchants, it is a season Understanding market potential in
of preparation—gearing up for increased con-
S sumer activity, seasonal promotions and the an expanding payments ecosystem
operational adjustments that come with warmer months. Successful marketing begins with clarity about where you
For those of us in the payments ecosystem, it is also an and your organization deliver the greatest value. Most
opportunity to look ahead. ISOs and MLSs have invested heavily in developing sales
strategies to attract and retain merchants, but marketing
While merchants focus on the opportunities immediately efforts must align with those strengths.
in front of them, ISOs, merchant level salespeople (MLSs)
and other payments professionals should already be That alignment starts with understanding the capabilities
thinking of several seasons down the road. The marketing of your ecosystem, in particular, your gateway partners,
and merchant engagement strategies put in place today processors, software platforms and value-added service
will help businesses prepare for the year's biggest retail providers. The payments industry has expanded
moments—from back-to-school days and Halloween to the dramatically over the past decade, and merchants
winter holidays. increasingly expect solutions that extend well beyond
transaction processing.
Marketing may not always be the first thing you think
about when discussing growth strategies, but it plays Global digital payment volumes reached $18.7 trillion in
a critical role in strengthening merchant relationships. 2024, with projections suggesting they could exceed $33
A strong sales strategy may open doors, but consistent, trillion by 2030 as digital commerce and mobile payments
insightful communication is what transforms providers continue to expand.
into long-term partners. For merchants, this growth means more complexity.
Digital wallets, account-to-account payments, real-time
In an industry defined by rapid technological change, payment rails, and emerging technologies like embedded
evolving consumer expectations and growing finance are reshaping how transactions move through the
competition, effective marketing has become less about ecosystem.
promotion and more about perspective. ISOs and MLSs
that provide meaningful insight to merchants—helping For ISOs and agents, this complexity presents both
them understand recent technologies, consumer payment opportunity and responsibility. Merchants are increasingly
preferences and operational efficiencies—position looking to their payments partners for guidance, not
themselves as trusted advisers rather than just service only on payment acceptance but also on how emerging
providers. technologies can support growth.

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